


Treading Water

by Bazylia_de_Grean



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-16 00:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14152458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bazylia_de_Grean/pseuds/Bazylia_de_Grean
Summary: Edér meets the Watcher for the first time.





	Treading Water

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rannadylin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rannadylin/gifts).



> (Written for a prompt from the 'sensory prompts' set on tumblr, thrown at me by Ranna: Trying to walk on ice. Special request was: "for Edér and it absolutely *must* involve an animal trapped out on the ice".)

The way she stops to stare at the tree, shocked by the sight, makes it obvious that she’s a stranger. But that’s not what catches his attention. Not even her white hair, not matching her youthful face.

Her eyes are wild. Outwardly, she appears calm, but her eyes betray her. Inside, she must be shaking. Once, a few years ago – might’ve been during the war – might’ve been when he was a kid – he saw a young lynx that got out into the middle of a lake just before the ice started breaking. He remembers its plaintive meows and the quiet panic in its eyes.

She is looking around with the same intensity. Whatever happened on the way here, she can hear the ice cracking beneath her feet now, and she wants to cry for help but no one’s able to reach her. He isn’t sure how he knows it. But living in Gilded Vale make people wary of certain... things.

Is it her soul breaking? Edér thinks of the war, of Eothas and Waidwen – of Woden – and he feels pity for the girl. If that’s what it is, she shouldn’t be here now. Not when...

The bell at Raedric’s Hold rings. Once. Twice. Three times. A death sentence. For the child, probably. And most certainly for another poor fool that will say a word too much at a wrong time, or will do something suspicious, like staring at that tree ripe with bodies instead of fruit. For the villagers, it’s become a morbid part of the landscape. For her, it must be terrifying.

She looks in his direction then, and Edér makes a move so that she would notice him. When she does, he holds her gaze. Just a for a while. Long enough for her to see him.

He has no idea who this girl is. But he’s not going to let her drown.


End file.
